Craig Klonowski and the hallowed haunt and circumspect beyond of "Goodnight Out There"

 

"I remembered myself / As a child today / Alone in my room / What would I say?"


The hallowed haunt and circumspect beyond of "Goodnight Out There", by New York based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and music school teacher Craig Klonowski, might tug as you in mysterious ways. Depending on the color of your glasses lens you might feel nostalgia butterflies in your tummy and see your own indie flick in your head, images of your childhood, of when you lost your grandpa, of the complexities of life and the questions of what life is anyway, or what your life is anyway, or you might feel a bit like when you saw the odd presence of the lady in the radiator in David Lynch's Eraserhead. Or like me, you might have the feeling, the strange sensation of both. I cannot help it, the folk chamber pop sound of "Goodnight Out There" with such earnest vintage vocal melodies performed in a sort of porch country / classic pop way, maybe even in the same way it could have been performed at the turn of the century as a Western opera of sorts, has a tendency to give me varying degrees of the willies while still feeling it's moving tenderness. Maybe because beautiful songs with beautiful melodrama have been created while all manner of villainy surrounds us since literally the beginning of when music began. Songs like this as (maybe) an opiate. 

All that being said (sorry for being weird) Klonowski crafts such a pure sound and a beautiful, emotionally complex one.

About 24 years ago, my wife and I took a road trip with our two teen daughters (their older brother stayed home), we traveled through Northern California Gold country and ended up staying at the Historic Cary House Hotel established in 1857. If it had eyes. the Hotel would have seen Mark Twain and Ulysses S. Grant in it's rooms, it would have seen the violence of gold mining too including people hanged in the street for jumping claims. We had some odd occurrences there that might suggest ghosts in the halls or maybe just our minds playing tricks on us.

One night we got in the car to just look around and literally got lost, stumbled upon a playhouse in the middle of nowhere. Upon further investigation it was the Olde Coloma Theatre (in Coloma) and saw a very rustic version of Paint Your Wagon, half of the theater seats were falling apart, the place was small but very quaint and appeared to be from the 40's (although really established in the 70's). I bring this up because if through some magical time travel I would have loved to see Craig Klonowski performing "Goodnight Out There" on that small wooden stage with footlights. 

Craig Klonowski's debut album "Comeback Year" dropped in 2024.

    

LINER NOTES (excerpted / bracketed):

[Piano-led folk ballad with a full string quartet and no percussion, designed for late-night listening. “Goodnight Out There” is a lullaby for the self across time, reflecting on childhood, aging, and what comes next. It’s a lullaby to your past, present, and future selves, moving through childhood memory, the lines time leaves behind, and the unknown ahead. Intimate and emotionally direct, with strings that breathe around the vocal rather than overpower it. Fits chamber-pop / cinematic singer-songwriter lanes. RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Nick Drake, Norah Jones, Iron & Wine, Agnes Obel.]

-Robb Donker Curtius  






The Chicken Wheel will take you to the AP Go Fund Me- and any amount is so appreciated!

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7iaN2iIuwBv9JBu3o0TV4H

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsDzgndQJdLYeFy8kvm62qg

https://www.instagram.com/craigklonowski/

https://www.tiktok.com/@craig.klonowski

https://www.facebook.com/craig.klonowski

https://x.com/craigklonowski

https://www.craigklonowski.com/


Something stirs in the darkest hours, when the world is silent & thoughts run deep. Craig Klonowski's debut album takes shape in these quiet moments. It's more than just music - it's a journey through the shadows, tracing the path from loss & heartbreak to hope & renewal. Acoustic folk melodies, piano & cello set the scene, guiding you through down-tempo ballads & more upbeat songs, capturing the full spectrum of life's experiences.

The songs delve into themes of heartbreak & rebirth, with a voice that adds a depth that feels both haunting & inviting. Influenced by the simple storytelling of Johnny Cash, Tom Waits and Janis Ian, as well as the emotional intensity of contemporary artists like Adele, Faye Webster and Orville Peck, his songwriting has a way of pulling you in, hinting at hidden truths.

"Comeback Year" is an invitation to explore the quiet places where transformation begins. Plug in & let Craig's music guide you through this journey from darkness to light. This isn't just a collection of songs—it’s a passage through life's highs & lows, with a promise of something new on the other side. If you're ready for a musical experience that lingers, this is your album.

Craig Klonowski, singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, New York, music school teacher, vintage / classic sound, folk, folk pop, chamber pop, existential, "Goodnight Out There", 2024 debut album "Comeback Year",